Jewish Learning at Akiva

As we head into our 50^th year at Akiva School, we are continuing our commitment to providing opportunities to our Akiva families to enhance their Jewish journeys; engaging and connecting through school wide programming as well as classroom celebrations. By making the study of Judaism relevant to the students’ everyday lives, our programs enable us to develop a true appreciation of our Jewish traditions, building connections for our students and their families to our heritage.

Here are some milestones and experiences since the beginning of the year:

Havdalah ceremony
In November, our grade 4 students marked the end of Shabbat with their families and welcomed the new week together with a meaningful Havdalah ceremony. The students first showcased all that they have learned about Havdalah and then had the opportunity, together with their family, to perform their own Havdalah ceremony.  Each student was proud to bring home their own handmade Havdalah set and a lifetime memory.

Chanukiyot project of grade 5 students and parents
Our grade 5 students could not wait to get to Chanukkah. After exploring the historical elements of the Chanukah story and its implications on our Jewish identity in today’s free society, our students studied how to build a Kosher Chanukiya. They designed their own Chanukiya that reflected their own unique story. I must say that the excitement was equally felt among the parents who enjoyed working with their children to express our history and identity.

Grade 6 studying of Mishnah
Starting this year, our grade 6 students are learning Mishnah. This new addition to our curriculum gives our students a taste of Rabbinic sources and allows them to analyze text and discuss topics more thoroughly.

Gesher Chai with Israel

Our commitment and love to Eretz Israel never stops. This year, we continue working with two fun and energetic Shinshinim (young Israeli emissaries who come to spend a year at our school and bring a little bit of Israel into our classrooms). We also continue to build our connection with our sister school in Be’er Sheva, “Yuvalei Hanagev”. We exchanged experiences and shared stories between schools and even designed 3D dreidels in our Innovation Lab with the flags from both countries and school names engraved on them.

Wishing everyone a wonderful winter break!